Hidden Behind Hatred
by Nosfrat
Summary: I've been living in Equestria for quite a while now, and life has been pretty good so far. But as I give Cheerilee's class a history lesson, I can't help but notice that a certain little pink bully could use some correction... Or some help. My take on Diamond Tiara's behavior, and what causes it. Fluffy One-Shot, rated K for very brief swearing and some tense, emotional subjects.


**_A/N: This story could contain some topics not everyone would be comfortable with... I'm sorry if any of it offends you, that's just my way of seeing things, you don't have to share it._**

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It has been a little over a year since I first arrived in Equestria. Things were tough at first, everything was so different from what I was used to, but I got used to my new life pretty quickly. The ponies and other friendly creatures helped me a lot, and in turn I helped them too. It immediately felt natural to share with others, help others, and expect others to return the favor in times of need. Some values I had been taught on Earth when I was a kid, but I could never experience during the two dozens of years I spent back there.

Why and how I ended up in Equestria, you might be asking yourself? I'm just as clueless as you on the subject. Here is the story as I recall it...

It was night. A cold, harsh winter night. I couldn't sleep so I had decided to go for a walk, this time in the woods not too far from my house. I had covered hundreds of miles around where I lived during my nocturnal, solitary walks, but I had never considered going near those woods before. I had been there countless times during the day, especially as a kid, but never on my own, at night.  
It took about five miles of walking just to get there, and as my legs were starting to feel strained, I realized why I had never considered it before. Knowing that it would take me another five miles to get home, I figured that I might as well walk around for a while, as in the end, my legs would hurt anyway.  
Listening to the leaves being rattled by the cold wind... Breathing in some fresh, pure air... It was soothing, I was somewhat away from the polluted city I was living in...

As I made my way around the small lake, I noticed something strange in the water. It looked like a swan or something, but with an eerie glow emanating from around it. I grabbed my pocket camera, took a step closer, and while turning it on I tripped over the roots of a centenarian tree. I let go off the camera and tried to put my hands in front of me to soften up the incoming impact but I never felt anything. I only felt something when I was awoken, hours later, by the soft brushing of a hoof against my skin, on the edge of what I now know as the Everfree Forest.

The creature who had found me brought me back to her hut and made me drink some strange stuff to cure what was, according to her, a slight concussion. At first she refused to believe anything I told her, and she was certain that the 'concussion' had made me delirious. She believed that I was yet another strange creature from the depths of the forest, but as time passed, she couldn't find any information about a creature similar to me, and she ended up admitting that maybe I was right, and I had really gotten there overnight, for no apparent reason.

It didn't take too long for most of the inhabitants of Ponyville to accept me, maybe not as one of them but as a friend nonetheless. After all, I looked more like a minotaur than a pony, and I was seen by some as crazy for refusing to go outside without clothing.

I quickly befriended a light green mare, who appeared to know a few things about humans and their habits. At least, their differences from most of the other species living in Equestria.

And this is the story of how going for a walk at night ended up with Zecora finding me asleep in the meadows bounding the Everfree. I will never know what happened this night. And frankly, I stopped caring a long time ago.

Back to the present, I now live in a small house on the edge of Ponyville, and spend most of my time doing odd jobs for ponies who need me for various things for which they see my human features as blessings: being taller, having fingers, all those things ponies lack, which impedes them when it comes to most manual labor. I earn a few bits here and there, nothing too spectacular but having things to do and being around those friendly creatures is more than worth it.

Today was friday, which meant I was supposed to give a history lesson in Cheerilee's class. They had quickly become interested in the history of Earth, and although my knowledge of it was somewhat limited, they seemed to find it passionating.  
So there I was, in the classroom, telling a bunch of young ponies about World War II. As I started explaining the more subjective aspects of warfare, such as how soldiers felt knowing they could, and would probably die at any second, the class started being filled with chatter.

Cheerilee looked at me, and I knew it was time to make use of my powers. Which means using my fingers, taller stature and deeper voice to slam the ruler against her desk and shout.

"Quiet, everypony!"

Instantly, all the chattering died down.

"If anypony has anything to say, raise a hoof. If you all talk at the same time, you won't understand what others have to say, nor will you be understood."

Without raising a hoof, a pink filly started talking, pointing at three other fillies.

"You three would have totally wetted your blank flanks."

I stared at her, annoyed.

"You know, Diamond Tiara, you cannot begin to imagine how terrifying such things were. I haven't fought in a war myself but most of the soldiers were grown men, trained to kill. Yet they couldn't handle those situations themselves either. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle would have been far more courageous than a good majority of those soldiers if they had only 'wetted their flanks'. You should refrain from talking about what you ignore, besides, I have yet to understand what those three fillies ever did to you to make you think they deserve such a treatment from you, and your friend Silver Spoon."

She gave me a dumbfounded look.

"I... They're blank flanks! They're like, lame, you know? Seriously, who doesn't have their cutie mark at their age? This is, like, totally like, you know, so lame!"

"No, I don't know. Humans do not have cutie marks, and having one doesn't make you superior, nor does it give you the right to belittle those who do not have one."

"But, but... They're so, like, uncool!"

"Have you tried to actually get to know them, instead of assuming they were 'uncool' just because they don't have their marks yet?"

"Uh... No, but why would I want to? They're just... Lame!"

Cheerilee cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry Cheerilee, I just... You know, this kind of behavior is what plagues the world I come from, and I really have trouble tolerating it here."

"Let them be, they're fillies... You know how younglings are."

"I know, but they often retain their behavior through adulthood. I think I might need to have a word with Tiara after the class."

"Alright, but do not do anything... Radical, you know?"

Diamond Tiara was staring at us with a bored expression.

"I can hear everything you two say, you know."

"We know Tiara, but I think there might be things you would benefit from telling me."

She scoffed.

"Whatever..."

After the class ended, everybody left except Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. I told Cheerilee she could go, and I would close the school after I was gone.  
Thankfully the ponies were quick to give me their trust, as common things on Earth such as a robbery, murder, rape or anything like that were once in a blue moon occurrences in Equestria, to the point they wouldn't even consider it. Not that I intended to do such things, but still... I needed to be alone with the filly.

"Silver Spoon, you can go home. I'm afraid what I have to talk about with your friend is none of your business."

The dark gray filly glared at me, before leaving, but not before doing the bump rump thingy they were doing all the time. I sighed, and waited for her to be out of sight, and of hearing range.  
I sat on the empty seat near the pink filly, and landed on the floor. I got up, rubbing my ass and cursing under my breath, mentally facepalming for not realizing those seats were meant for young ponies and not full grown humans. I picked up the pieces of broken wood and put them in my bag, after all I didn't have anything to do this weekend and school wouldn't start again until monday, might as well do some carpentry...

I sat down on the floor near her, which was actually better as my height now matched hers. For what I was about to tell her, being able to look at her in the eyes was a plus.

"So Tiara, I can't help but notice your attitude, you know it's pretty common where I come from, and it's obvious to me that deep inside, you're not mean or anything. I know you act this way because you have problems."

She kept her best poker face on until she winced at the word 'problems'.

"I know it might be hard to talk about it, to face it... But pretending those problems won't affect you in the long run, pretending that nopony needs to know and instead behaving like you do? Nothing positive will come out of this."

"I don't... I don't have any problem. Others do, they're just not cool enough, you know? Like... I don't wanna hang out with ponies who don't have their cutie marks, it's so lame!"

What a pathetic attempt at sounding confident.

"Alright, now imagine... You're back in time. Back when you didn't have your cutie mark yet. You're in a classroom full of ponies who -do- have their cutie marks, and they're all laughing at you and picking on you because your flank is blank. How do you react?"

By now she was starting to have difficulties answering spontaneously, and I could have sworn I saw her fighting back a tear.

"I just... I would, like, hang out with a friend who doesn't have their cutie mark yet either, and ignore the others."

"You have a point, and that's exactly what the three Crusaders do. However, while you would ignore them, they would -not- ignore you. They would constantly and relentlessly be picking on you for no reason other than that cutie mark thing. Wouldn't you end up being upset about it, especially if you can't fight back?"

"I... No, I wouldn't... I wouldn't care. I think."

This was a lost cause, she would never admit the truth.

"Forget about it, let's get to the core of the problem. What's going on, what makes you hate ponies who don't have their cutie marks, and what makes you think a cutie mark is important enough to ignore and belittle somepony just because they don't have theirs -yet-?"

"A cutie mark defines what you are. If you don't have one, you're nothing!"

"That's where you're wrong. A cutie mark does define what you are to some extent, but if you don't have one, it doesn't mean that you're nothing. It means that you could be anything. Also, a tiara as a cutie mark, well... So what does that mean? Your family is rich, you're a spoiled little filly, you wear a tiara... Are those really the only things you think are worth noting about you? No."

"But... Cutie marks are like... Kinda like what you said when you told us about gangs."

"About gangs?"

Suddenly I was starting to regret digressing so much during my history classes.

"Yes, you told us gangs were representing and all, and when they were in the hood with their homies, they wouldn't hesitate popping a cap into a nigga's flank if said nigga wasn't representing himself."

I held back a chuckle, and I was glad that she didn't know the meaning of half of those words... And that nopony in Ponyville did either.

"Well, it's not the same. Gangs are..."

Suddenly, something sparked in my head.

"Actually I think I get what you're trying to say. Gangs are mostly composed of outcast people. People who have been outcast by society, or who decided to outcast themselves. Either way, they do not fit in with other people, and as a result they're trying to build their own society, which obviously brings up many issues."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You are afraid of being an outcast. You know ponies go with the majority, and if you side with the minority, you are afraid that you will be picked on and hurt, so you'd rather join the majority and go with the flow. However you're afraid to the point you're using offense rather than defense. Do you remember Babs Seed?"

"I... She was another lame blank flank!"

"But she ended up understanding she wasn't meant to be a bully, and she made new friends. She even stood up to you and your friend Spoon. And she's pretty happy these days, too. You should see how the Crusaders get along with her... It's beautiful, really. True friends. See, that's another thing... Your behavior forced you to side yourself with ponies you do not belong with."

"What do you mean?"

"Silver Spoon... She's like you. She's not a bully. She's also afraid of being an outcast, so she plays along with you... But neither of you are meant to behave that way, and you'd be so much happier if you could realize that..."

I wasn't getting anywhere with this... I needed to go deeper. I stood up and kneeled down closer to her, my eyes staring into hers.

"Tiara. Did your father ever tell you anything about cutie marks?"

She recoiled and the look in her eyes told me that I had hit the nail on the head.

"What did he tell you?"

Her gaze was shifting, as if she were trying to find a way out.

"I'm not gonna tell anypony about anything we're talking about right now, this is why I wanted to be alone with you, so you could talk to me without fear of anypony else hearing."

"He... He said that without a cutie mark, a pony is worthless, and doesn't even deserve to live and... And he said..."

Her eyes were starting to water, and her breathing was becoming erratic. I felt bad for being about to make her cry but it was necessary.

"Go on."

"And he said... If I didn't have my cutie mark, he would have never wanted me as his daughter, and when I didn't have it yet, he... He was..."

"What was he doing?"

A few tears rolled down her cheeks.

"He was... He was beating me because I... Because I was worthless and... And I was so scared and, and afraid of... Being rejected by my own family!"

She couldn't take it anymore, tears started flowing freely from her eyes and she was crying hard. I was heartbroken at the sight, and sat down near her. I then grabbed her and sat her down on my lap. I started softly stroking her mane and hugging her.

"Let the tears out, Tiara. You've been keeping this inside for so long, let it all go... Don't worry, everything is gonna be fine."

She didn't respond, she was clenching me tight with her forehooves, and sobbing in my chest. I took her tiara off and kissed the top of her head. I kept caressing her mane and withers, whispering into her ears.

"It's over, everything's gonna be alright now. You don't have to hide or cry anymore, I'll go have a word with your dad."

She broke away from me and looked at me with a pleading expression.

"NO! No please, don't... He will..."

"He will not do anything. Believe me. Persuasion's my forte."

"I... I'm scared!"

"I know, and it's normal, anypony would be. But it's gonna be fine. I'll have a word with him and everything is gonna be alright."

"You really think I... I can stop being mean to the Crusaders, and be friends with them? And nopony will be picking on me?"

"Tiara, you were so obsessed with picking on them that you didn't even notice you and Silver Spoon were the only ones in the entire school not to be friends with them."

"...You're right. I just... I'm sorry!"

"It's not your fault. Don't worry, calm down."

She was starting to calm down and her breathing was becoming more steady.

"Come on, it's late, I'll walk you home."

"But my dad is here..."

"I know, I'll have a word with him. Pack up your things, I'm gonna close the school."

After closing the classroom and exiting the school, I realized that nearly two hours had passed. Dusk was setting in and Luna's moon was about to rise. I had Tiara in my arms, she was still shaken by her breakdown and I wanted her to feel as secure as possible. Being in the arms of a creature thrice her height certainely helped with that.

Arriving at her home, I noticed Filthy Rich standing on the doorway.

"Tiara! Where have you been? I have been worrying sick about you! And what is that thing carrying-"

I instantly cut him off.

"You are going to listen to me, and you are going to listen carefully because I'm not gonna repeat it. You beat your daughter, you persuade her that a cutie mark is all there is to life, and you teach her wrong things, wrong values and for the wrong reasons... And you dare saying that you were worried about her? You don't deserve to have a daughter, let alone such a cute and sensitive one, and you don't deserve to even live, either. People... Well, ponies, ponies like you plague my home world, and I'm truly annoyed by your sole existence, let alone the half-assed values and twisted beliefs you managed to instill in your daughter. I don't care what you have to say, I don't care what you think you're gonna do against that, but I'm taking Tiara to my place tonight, she needs to be away from you for a while, and in the meantime you should think about all of this."

He spoke after a short while.

"Sir, your demeanor is-"

"You shut the fuck up. You have no room whatsoever to talk about one's demeanor. You stay there, you ponder over what I said in silence, and you don't dare standing up to me. You got that?"

I wasn't sure whether it was because of my stature, or because of the fact he had never been talked to in such a harsh way, but he simply nodded and dropped his gaze to the ground.

"Good. I will bring her back home tomorrow in the morning. If I were you, I'd do my best so I don't have to come back, as I said I do not like having to repeat myself."

On these words I turned around, still cradling Tiara in my arms, and walked back home. She was nuzzling my chest softly, and I was stroking her mane.

"Don't worry, he'll understand... Eventually. Your dad is one of those people thinking the world revolves around them, they're not used to being talked to like that. The words will sink into him and they'll eventually take their toll, he'll realize. I'll make him realize, if he doesn't on his own."

"Why did you do all of this? I'm just a worthless bully trying to hurt others so as not to get hurt myself... I don't deserve-"

I silenced her by placing a finger on her lips.

"Tiara, this is not your fault. I did all of this because I had to, and I was the only one who could do something about it. I won't tell anypony about it, as I promised, and your dad will never ever raise a hoof on you anymore. I Pinkie promise this one."

"Thanks... Thanks for everything, you... Thank you."

She soon fell asleep in my arms. Luna's moon was now high in the sky, the cool breeze has turned into cold, strong gusts of wind and it was probably close to the time at which she would usually go to bed. I opened my door with one hand, laid Tiara down on my bed and sat down near her, thinking about the whole day, and how closely I could now relate to this little filly...

I was tired and not particularly hungry, so I decided I would just sleep. I didn't have a couch and I wasn't gonna sleep on the floor, and my bed was custom made to fit to my human size so I slid under the blankets and put an extra blanket over Tiara, still sleeping near me. I fell asleep faster than I can remember having ever fallen asleep.

When I woke up, I found her snuggled against me, under -my- blanket, and with one forehoof resting on my chest. She was still asleep. I wasn't sure what to think of that, but I was sure about one thing... I was glad I didn't have anything to do today, besides falling back asleep hugging the cute little cuddly filly.


End file.
